A Darker Path Taken
by kazekagesama23
Summary: What if Ryoga was truly as honorless and evil as he is often cast in fanfiction?
1. Chapter 1

Question: What if Ryoga was truly as evil and honor less as most authors portray him to be?

**A Darker Path Taken**

Daisuke hummed a mindless tune as he exited the school grounds. Mamori had finally agreed to go on a date with him that Saturday, a concession to the countless hours he had spent whining about it to her.

'Score one for persistence!' he thought pumping his fist in the air. He idly noted a rough looking stranger standing by the gates of Furinkan High, looking at the gates in puzzlement.

Daisuke kept on walking right past the stranger, until his motion was abruptly and painfully halted. His head spun as he felt his feet leave the ground. Focusing his eyes, he saw that the strange boy was holding him up in the air with one hand, a fistful of his shirt in the boy's clenched fist.

"Where is Furinkan High School?" he said, his tone of voice calm, but with an undercurrent of something….darker. Daisuke gulped.

"Ah, it's right there…" He pointed to the school building, then to the sign on the gates that read: "Furinkan High School". The boy studied the plaque for a second, before turning his intense gaze back onto Daisuke.

"Where is Ranma Saotome?" Daisuke almost panicked before he noticed Ranma walking out of school with Akane. "He's…over there…" he rasped, his dry throat contracting as he swallowed nervously.

The boy tossed him to the side negligently, not even looking back as Daisuke hit the wall hard.

* * *

Ranma reflected on his first week of school as he left the building, Akane walking silently beside him. All in all, it hadn't been too bad a week, aside from Kuno groping him at every opportunity.

Things were starting to settle down a bit and it looked like he would have some momentary peace and quiet.

His thoughts were shattered as he heard a loud voice coming from above him.

"Ranma Saotome, prepare to die!"

Pushing off with his legs, he twisted to the side, flipping out of the way. Landing easily, he assessed the shaggy haired boy kneeling in the massive crater he had created. The boy raised his head, revealing a grin that was mostly feral. "You haven't changed Ranma. You're still good at running away."

Ranma cocked his head to the side. "Do I know you?"

The boy stood up slowly, raising his umbrella to point at Ranma's chest. "I'll give you a clue. Do you remember junior high? The curry bread?"

Ranma's eyes widened in recognition. "Hey! Ryoga, Ryoga Hibiki! How you doin' man!"

Ryoga snarled an ugly, hateful sound. "Shut up! I'm here for revenge, not to chat about old times. Say your prayers Saotome. I'm going to kill you."

Ranma smirked, his carefully practiced grin guaranteed to drive his opponents mad in less than five seconds. "Yeah, yeah. Let's see if you can actually pull it off." With a yell of rage, the lost boy jumped at Ranma, swinging his umbrella in a deadly arc. Ranma nimbly jumped to the side, kicking the lost boy in the back as he went by.

Ryoga stumbled to a halt, digging his umbrella into the ground to stop his momentum. 'He's fast…'

As the infuriated lost boy chased Ranma around the gates area, the students were offering running commentary. Ever since Ranma had come into their lives, casual violence and things that defied the laws of physics no longer shocked them.

"That guy is pretty good. Might even be a match for Saotome."

"No way man! He can't even hit Saotome!"

"Yeah, but he's got some serious strength. Look at the size of that crater!"

"I wonder if he's single?"

"What! Are you crazy Yuki! He's obviously crazy! Mentally unbalanced!"

"Well, you do have to admit he's kinda cute. In a bestial kinda way."

"Yeah, well, whatever floats your boat. I don't care how cute he is."

Ryoga finally tired of chasing Ranma around the gates. "Enough playing around. It's time to end this!"

He turned around slowly, reaching into his pack. Ranma tensed himself for an attack, then paled as Ryoga pulled out a sawed off shotgun. "W..what kinda marital artist are you? No honorable martial artist uses a gun!"

Ryoga bared his teeth in a horrible rictus of a grin, his extra long canines giving him the appearance of a demon. "I never said this was about martial arts! This is about revenge! Die!"

He jumped for Ranma, cocking the barrel as he flew closer. Ranma watched the gun intently. 'Okay, I can handle this. Just gotta time it right.' He waited until Ryoga was almost in range, then threw himself to the side, out of effective range of the gun. He might have made it if he hadn't collided with Ryoga's umbrella, set up directly in his path.

Ryoga grinned evilly. "Game over, Saotome." He pulled the trigger and Akane screamed as Ranma's head disappeared in a spray of blood. The students looked on in shock.

"Holy crap, he just killed Saotome!"

"Somebody get the cops!"

Ryoga looked down at the corpse that was once Ranma Saotome. "Debt paid in full Ranma." He staggered as a strong punch connected with the back of his head.

Turning, he saw the girl that had been with Ranma, fist drawn back for another punch. As her fist flashed forward, he caught it easily with one hand. "What's your problem?"

"You murderer! You killed Ranma! What did he ever do to you?" Tears streamed down Akane's face as she struggled to remove her fist from his iron grip. Seeing that it wasn't working, she put all of her strength into a punch with her other fist. Ryoga caught the other fist as easily as the first, holding the struggling girl immobile as she screamed obscenities at him.

"His list of grievances is longer than I can count. His past has finally caught up with him. As mutual respect for a great martial artist, I'll let you bury him in the plot of his families choosing. Goodbye." With that final statement, he leapt onto the roof of the school and soon bounded out of sight.

* * *

A.N. Before Ryoga fans lynch me at high noon, let me say that I'm a fan too.

I don't think he's perfect, of course, but I'm fascinated by the complexity yet simplicity of his character.

This is but one scenario that might have occurred were Ryoga truly as honor less and evil as he is often written. I've never bought into the 'honor less, violent beyond all reason, always blames Ranma for his problems-bastard' that Ryoga is often cast as. That is purely a fanon creation. Those who think that he is really like this either never read the manga or have only watched the anime. The anime is quite misleading as it exaggerates the character flaws of the Ranma ½ crew. So I never use that as source material.


	2. Chapter 2

A Darker Path Taken 2

Question: What if Ryoga was truly as evil and honor less as most authors portray him to be?

A.N. Well, this was supposed to be a one-shot. However, it got more positive response than I ever dreamed it would. So I've got a few more ideas bouncing around in the old noggin, enough for part two, and maybe even three. Three is the max though. Not a chapter more! Unless I'm particularly inspired for some reason. Yes, yes, I'm sure you're all in awe at my unwavering conviction…

* * *

Kasumi sighed as she carried dinner up to Akane's room, the hot bowl of soup balanced beside a crispy loaf of bread and some vegetables. Cooking western style meals wasn't her usual habit, but Akane had been crying in her room for three days. She needed some heavy meats and proteins to replenish her body's energy.

Stopping in front of her sister's door, she knocked a few times just below the yellow duck before gently pushing open the door and peeking her head in. "Akane? I brought you supper. You'd better eat it before it gets cold."

Akane turned a tear-stained face toward Kasumi. -Sniff- "Thanks Kasumi-neechan. I'll try to eat all of it."

Since Ranma's horrible death just a few days before, Akane found she didn't really have the appetite she used to. The food tasted like cardboard and the water was dull and heavy on her tongue.

She mourned the loss of a just found friend, but more than that, someone she could have seen herself with for the rest of her life. Not before they finished high school, certainly, and maybe not even until they were out of college, but still, a life partner.

It was funny how such a traumatic event forced things into perspective for her. Even Kuno seemed somewhat subdued, less hasty and more introspective.

"Remember Akane, if you need someone to talk to, I'm always there for you." Akane gave a little nod and Kasumi turned to leave. "Wait…Kasumi-neechan…" Kasumi turned back to Akane, patiently waiting as her little sister fidgeted with the edge of her comforter.

Akane took a deep breath as she looked into her older sister's clear blue eyes. She could have lost herself in that tranquil sea of blue, carried away on the waves of serene comfort. "Could…could I have a hug?"

Kasumi nodded and gathered the smaller girl up in her arms, pulling her close as Akane sobbed into her shoulder.

"He's really gone Kasumi! I…I remember when I asked him if he wanted to be friends. I don't think I've seen anyone as grateful as he looked then. And then I hit him, called him a pervert!" The smaller girl gave a body-wracking sob, her fists clutching the fabric of Kasumi's dress tighter.

"I hit him because I walked in on him! Have you ever heard anything more stupid? I wanted to apologize. I kept telling myself I'd do it soon. And now…now it's too late. He's not coming back." Akane gave another strangled sob. "I'm sorry Ranma…I'm so sorry." She whispered, so softly that Kasumi almost couldn't make it out.

She pulled away from Kasumi, wiping the tears off her face. "Thanks, Kasumi-neechan. I'll eat my supper now."

Kasumi gave a little smile. "You know what Akane? I bet if Ranma could see you right now he'd say something like: 'Ah don't worry about it ya' uncute tomboy! Ranma Saotome doesn't hold grudges.'"

Akane gave a watery grin. "I think he would Kasumi. I think he would."

* * *

Genma Saotome sat in silent contemplation, head held high and staring off into space. The boy was gone. Really gone. Ten years of work, tireless training and sacrifice all wiped out in a single blow.

Were it not for his maxim that men do not cry, Genma Saotome would have shed tears of remorse, tears of pain, tears of sorrow. But a man cannot cry, so he sat in silence, stoic and calm.

He remembered his time with the boy, as if it had happened only a few hours ago. Agility training at five. The nekoken at six. That had been a bad idea, he'd admit it now. Speed training at seven. Strength and endurance training at eight. The aerial side of the Saotome-ryu at ten. He thought back over all the years of hardship, all the years of training the boy.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he began to wish that he'd spent less time being a teacher and more time being a father.

What was he going to tell Nodoka? The son he had taken from her for ten years, the son she had only heard about through letters, was dead. The manly son she had been waiting to see would never be able to meet her now.

Oh, he could at least be manly, as the curse had gone when he died. There was no danger of him ever being a girl again, not in death. Somehow though, Genma wasn't particularly eager to avail himself of this cure.

He stood up, facing the setting evening sun as it slowly traced it's way below the horizon. He would mourn the boy, and move on. Perhaps fate would grant him another son. One that he could correct his mistakes with. One who could call him 'father', and not only 'pops'.

There was still unfinished business to take care of though. Picking up the phone, he dialed a number and waited. There was a soft click as the other end picked up.

"Hello Nodoka. It's Genma." He smiled wanly at her excited chatter.

"Yes dear, I'm fine. No, I'm back in Japan now." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Would you come to the Tendo Dojo, dearest? There's something I have to tell you."

* * *

Ryoga Hibiki grunted as he flung a large rock out of the way, emptying the clearing in which he'd make his bed for that night. It had been three days since he had killed Ranma Saotome, three of the longest days of his life.

He thought that he would be happy when Saotome was finally dead, and he could get back to living his life. Instead, there was a hollow emptiness, a void inside of him that wanted to be filled. Only now, there was nothing to fill it with.

He still had his directional curse and his Jusenkyo curse, and now his life no longer had any discernable purpose. There was no larger goal to strive toward, or some objective or trial to be overcome. Oh he could take some satisfaction in the perfection of his martial arts, but it had never been the driving force in his life. He had started to learn actual martial arts after his defeat at the hands of Saotome so many years ago.

His opponent was the main reason he had pushed himself so hard. In his quest to defeat Ranma, he had spurred himself onward and upward to greater heights, learning a style from many different masters to complement his massive inborn strength.

He gave a miserable sigh as he finished setting up his tent. When he had initially blown the pigtailed martial artist away, it had been a heady thrill, the culmination of a dream. All that was left of his victory was now dust and ashes in his mouth.

As he set the teapot on the fire, his sensitive hearing picked up a slight rustle in the bushes at the left side of the clearing. "You might as well come on out, there's no use in hiding."

The foliage rustled again, and a small purple haired figure stepped into the clearing, eyeing Ryoga warily. "Nihao. What you do out here?"

Ryoga blinked. "I'm just camping out for the night. What are **you** doing out here?"

The purple haired girl moved closer and looked pointedly at the ground next to the campfire. Ryoga waved his hands at the spot. "Go ahead, sit down."

The small girl collapsed across from Ryoga. "Thank you" She said gratefully. "Shampoo hunts girl. Shampoo lose fight, so now Shampoo must kill. Is tribal law. Shampoo chase all across China, now come to Japan following girl."

Ryoga nodded. "Oh. Tribal law you say? Kind of odd, isn't it?"

Shampoo shrugged. "Is ancient Amazon law, must follow exactly. Great-grandmother very strict." She tensed up and slowly eased two large metal balls attached to sticks out from behind her back. "No move. Is very big cat, straight behind." She started inching slowly toward him; ready to leap to his defense the moment the cat sprang.

Ryoga waved her off. "It's okay, I've got it." He turned to face the cat, noting that it was a tiger, and exceptionally large at that. It hissed and tensed its leg muscles, preparing to spring.

Ryoga stood calmly, but ready to move in an instant. The tiger roared loudly and lunged, reaching for Ryoga's chest with its razor sharp claws.

The lost boy grunted as he met the tiger head on, grabbing its front legs and bashing his forehead into its skull. As the tiger fell backwards, dazed, Ryoga grabbed its head in his hands and twisted sharply, its neck making a loud popping noise as it broke.

Letting the corpse slump to the ground, Ryoga turned to find Shampoo looking at him thoughtfully. "You…is very strong, outsider male. We fight." She brandished her bonbori, as she advanced on the lost boy.

Ryoga backed away nervously. "Now hold on, I'm not really comfortable with fighting a girl."

Shampoo snorted as she drove the bonbori at his head. "Outsider male not have choice. Fight or die."

Ryoga ducked the first bonbori, only to take the second straight in his face, throwing him back into one of the many trees that lined the clearing. Standing up slowly, he reached a hand up to his face, wiping the blood out of his eyes. "Ok, that hurt. Now I'm angry."

Shampoo attacked him again, the bonbori coming for him with tremendous speed. Ryoga grunted as he caught the first, marveling at the strength behind the blow. For such a slender frame, Shampoo packed a lot of punch. It still didn't stop him from wrenching the weapon out of her hands and throwing it aside. She swung her remaining bonbori, and Ryoga took the blow in stride, stepping into Shampoo's guard, punching her hard in the stomach. As the purple haired Amazon gasped and fell to her knees, Ryoga relieved her of consciousness with a strike to the back of the head, catching her as she slumped forward.

"Crazy girl, attacking me out of nowhere like that." He sighed miserably. "I suppose I'd better put her in the tent." He bundled up Shampoo in his sleeping bag, taking care to keep her hair out of her face.

He sighed again as he threw a few more logs on the fire and then laid down outside the front of the tent. "It's going to be a long night."

* * *

A.N. Wow, that totally took off in a direction I had no intention of going. If I keep getting ideas like this, this might actually turn into something of a story. We'll see. Sorry the chapter's so short. Next chapter is Ranma's funeral.


	3. Chapter 3

**A Darker Path Taken**

**A.N.** Well, here's the third installment. I hope to make this one longer than the first two, as my ambiguous and ever changing standards make me a little guilty I can't churn out twenty or so pages regularly. My mind wants to do five and be done with it so I usually compromise and do about ten. Also, updates will be sporadic, as I will be evenly splitting my time between this and my other major story, 'Another Fine Mess'. (Shameless story plug!) I find myself interested in this story even though I usually like to do gag fics more than drama. But I like this Ryoga so much, I have to write more. I cannot decide! I must have them both!

* * *

Akane stared in dull acceptance as the priest finished his ritual, the words blending together to form an almost droning hum. Ranma's headless body lay in the casket at the front of the small church, almost mocking in its stiff repose.

Gone from that empty shell was the brimming vitality, the cocky self-assurance, even the vulnerable boy that she had only seen a few times.

A veil had been placed over the empty space where his head would be, and the casket was closed, only viewable by his family. Nodoka was quietly weeping in the front, Genma holding her stiffly, unused to exercising his softer emotions.

'At least Nodoka-san has calmed down since she first heard Ranma was dead.' Akane closed her eyes as she remembered the older woman's reaction.

* * *

When Nodoka had first arrived at the Tendo Dojo, she had politely knocked on the door and warmly greeted Kasumi, who invited her inside. She greeted Soun before heading to the dojo, where Kasumi had told her that her husband was waiting for her. She flung open the door, setting her gaze on the man that she hadn't seen for ten years.

Throwing the mantle of a proper Japanese woman aside, she rushed to her husband and threw herself into his arms, crying soft tears of happiness as she felt his strong arms embrace her, shielding her and giving her a feeling of absolute security. "Ten years, husband. Ten long years…" She raised her head to capture his mouth in a tender kiss. "I missed you so much, husband…"

She pulled out of his embrace, adjusting her kimono. "Where is Ranma? Is he off on a date with some lucky girl? Is he manly, just like you promised?" Nodoka grew worried as her husband stared solemnly at her, his eyes boring into hers.

Genma put a steadying hand on his wife's shoulder. "Ranma…was killed several days ago. We only have a name to go on. Ryoga Hibiki. Apparently, Ranma was friends with him in school, helping Ryoga get around and getting back to his house." He took a deep breath, gauging Nodoka's reaction. She was standing mutely, from shock no doubt. "I've tried to get in contact with the Hibiki clan, but there was no one at the house, except for a live-in maid that they had employed to keep the house clean. Apparently, the family has a directional curse that borders on legendary. She doesn't know when they'll show up at the house, but she promised to let them know I was calling."

Nodoka fell to her knees, her eyes glazed and staring. Ranma was dead? Her son was gone? What about their reunion? What about that happy day that she could finally see her beloved boy?

There was a moment of absolute clarity, and Nodoka finally comprehended the full meaning of Genma's statement. The floodgates broke and tears spilled out, running in rivers down her cheeks.

Genma moved forward to take his wife in his arms again, hugging her tight as she wailed her pain and loss into his chest.

* * *

The funeral procession moved in a staggered line toward the Saotome family property. At the head were Genma and Nodoka Saotome, dressed in black. Genma was staring straight ahead, his head held high as he gazed at a sight that only he could see in the distance. Nodoka walked silently beside him, her eyes on the ground and her head lowered, occasionally looking to the side where Soun, Tofu, Hiroshi,Daisuke, Kuno and one of Genma's drinking buddies were bearing the heavy wooden casket.

Akane and her sisters walked directly behind the casket, Kasumi looking very out of place in her gloomy black dress; Nabiki grim and detached. Akane walked slowly, her eyes listless. At the moment, she had no more tears to shed, no more grief to bear. She had cried them all out, and she felt as though even sorrow was beyond her now.

Some curious children craned their necks to see as the strange procession moved by, trying to catch a glimpse of the casket past the taller adults. A few people bowed their heads in sympathy, looking at the grim spectacle with somberness.

After what seemed both an eternity, yet also too short a time, the party reached the outside of the Saotome property. Akane cringed as they rounded the corner of the house and the freshly dug plot came into view.

For a moment, she could have sworn that the hole gaped black and foreboding, like the empty maw of some amorphous monster. A quick shake of the head cleared the image though, and the hole snapped into focus once more, plain, deep, and brown in the afternoon sunlight.

The pallbearers eased the heavy coffin onto the ground next to the grave, then solemnly stepped back, folding their hands as the old priest stepped beside the coffin, placing his hands on the varnished wooden lid. "Out of dust were we created, to dust we all shall likewise return. Lord, please give this boy more joy in the next life than he knew in this one. Amen."

The priest stepped back, motioning to the pallbearers. The six men grasped the handles of the coffin and moved it over the hole. With slow and deliberate care, they lowered it in, easing it farther and farther down until it touched the bottom with a soft bump. The priest nodded to the family, signaling them to say their last goodbyes.

Genma stepped to the edge of the pit, Nodoka at his side. "Well, I guess this is goodbye boy. If you can see us somehow, please forgive this foolish old man for all the things he put you through." A single tear glistened at the corner of his eye before he hastily scrubbed it out. "I'm going to miss you boy. Just…wherever you are, I hope you're doing good."

Nodoka choked back a sob as she looked at the top of the dark cherry wood coffin. "Goodbye Ranma. I loved you with all my heart. I hope you knew that." Genma felt a twinge of guilt. He hadn't had the heart to tell her that he'd been telling Ranma his mother was dead.

"Your father tells me that you were a real man among men, just how I always hoped you'd be." Tears dripped freely from her eyes now, staining her porcelain cheeks. "Farewell Ranma. I hope that somehow, somewhere, we can meet sometime. If you're standing on the river, look for me to come over some day too." She buried her face in her husband's suit and Genma gently led her away from the casket.

Akane was the next up, and she placed a bouquet of flowers on the top of the coffin. "Well Ranma, I know I never got a chance to apologize to you. So, I guess I'll do it now. I'm sorry Ranma. I never listened to you when you needed it, and I rejected you when you needed a friend. I hope you can forgive me for that. So…just have a good journey, will you?" She sniffed and stepped away, wiping her nose with her arm.

Nabiki cocked her head as she looked at the casket, her face as inscrutable as it always was. "Well, Saotome, I guess this is where we part ways. Hope you have a good afterlife." She walked quickly away from hole, her auburn hair swirling in the light breeze.

Kasumi stepped to the coffin, supporting her father as he sobbed into his shirtsleeve. "Ranma, I know I wasn't very kind to you when you first got here. I hope you can forgive me. Please look on us kindly. I know we'll all join you someday, just be patient until then." She led her still sobbing father away, patting his back sympathetically.

Oddly enough, Kuno was the next to step up to the pit. He drew his sword and held it in a warrior's salute. With a nod in the direction of Ranma's coffin, he sheathed his sword stepping respectfully out of the way so that the others could make their way through.

One by one, all of Ranma's close friends and relatives filed their way through, each taking a little time to murmur their final goodbyes. When the last person had filed through, several men grabbed shovels and started to scoop dirt back into the hole, clumps of earth falling all around the coffin.

Akane watched until the last speck of cherry red vanished and all that was left was brown clumps of earth. She gave a final longing glance at the grave and then walked away, toward the outer gates of the property.

Kuno caught her on the street, placing a restraining hand on her shoulder. Akane irritably brushed it off. "What do you want Kuno? I'm not in the mood for more of your poetry."

Kuno's face seemed to age ten years at that statement. "Nay, tis not poetry that draws me here Akane Tendo. Merely to talk." He paused then, the noonday sun highlighting his grim expression. Akane had the idle thought that she'd never seen Kuno quite this serious. Not only serious, but almost…sane.

"His death…it was not right. It was not a death worthy of the warrior that he surely was. Should I see that villain again, he will taste of my righteous vengeance."

Akane shuddered as she remembered the fanged boy blowing Ranma's head off, the blood spraying through the air, the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. But worse, much worse, the look of satisfaction and happiness on that boy's face. "I…I'd rather not talk about it Kuno…sempai."

Kuno slumped a little, looking oddly humble. "I will give you time to mourn, Akane Tendo. As much time as you wish. And then, if it pleases you, perhaps I may have the honor of taking you on a date."

Akane smiled ruefully, even though there was little emotion behind it. The idiot was kinda sweet, trying to cheer her up like that. "We'll see, Kuno. We'll see."

* * *

Shampoo gave a little yawn as she curled up tighter in her sleeping bag, the warmth a stark contrast to the chill morning air. There was something about the situation that seemed off, but she was too warm and comfy to think about it. Curling up in a ball, she closed her eyes and started to drift back off to sleep.

Wait a minute…she didn't have a sleeping bag! Her eyes shot open and she slid out of the warmth of the covers, hands up and ready to defend herself. Looking around the small tent, she realized that she was alone.

Why was she…? Then it hit her. "Ah! Strong boy defeat Shampoo!" She blushed a little as she remembered his quick mastery of the fight. "Ah…airen so strong…" she said dreamily. She looked around the empty tent again. Where was her airen anyway?

Shampoo unzipped the tent flap and giggled a little as she saw Ryoga curled in a huddled ball outside the tent flap. That was very nice of him, letting her use his tent. But there was room enough for two, he didn't have to sleep outside. Grabbing his collar, she dragged him inside the tent. 'His clothes are covered by the morning frost. That's going to be cold. I'd better get him out of them.'

Marvelling that her airen hadn't awakened yet, Shampoo pulled the partially frozen shirt off his body, noting that his skin was cold as ice. 'I'll have to warm him up. Skin to skin contact is the best way to do that.'

As she pulled his pants off, she was quite delighted to see that her airen was very pleasing to look at. She could see that while he hadn't filled out completely, when he was a few years older he would be bulging with muscles in all sorts of places. She left his boxers on. There were some things she didn't want to do just yet.

Stripping down till she was only wearing her panties, she dragged Ryoga's body over to the sleeping bag and shoved it inside. Once she was sure that he was fully covered, she slipped in herself, giving a little shriek as she felt the icy coldness of his exposed skin.

Hugging his cold body close to her, Shampoo shivered until his skin began to warm back up. After what seemed an eternity, his body finally warmed to an acceptable temperature and Shampoo drifted back off into the blessed relief of sleep.

* * *

"Die!" Ryoga swung his umbrella as another one of the monsters tried to get to him. They were completely black, and had only a vaguely humanoid shape. He pulled a bandanna off his head and with a flick of the wrist, he sent it sailing into the crowd of the black shadow things, leaving a path of destruction in its wake.

The strange shadow things didn't even try to move, simply continuing their steady pace towards him, never altering their course. Noticing that another pack was about to reach him, he tensed his legs to jump back to a safe distance.

To Ryoga's horror, his legs felt like they were mired in thick molasses, his muscles weak and useless. He tried to will his body to move, cursing his inability to react. He knew he should be able to move faster than this, but his muscles refused to respond.

An inky black hand gripped his arm, and he felt a strange, unspecific sense of absolute terror, an amorphous feeling that spread to all of his body, robbing him of his remaining strength.

More of the black things grabbed him and he felt himself being pulled down, down, down, into a hole of complete nothingness. The feeling of absolute terror increased as the shadow things pulled him further along, and he began to hear wailing, groans and screams of indescribable torment, coming from a place somewhere ahead of them.

Somehow, Ryoga knew that the things that had a hold on his arms were taking him to that place and he struggled in their grasp, cursing them and thrashing violently as they continued their steady journey down. At the end of the hole, he could see a flame brightly burning, and the shadow things began to whisper, their voices like the soft hiss of a venomous snake.

"Death is reserved for murderers."

"Death is reserved for murderers."

"Death is reserved for murderers."

"Death is reserved for murderers."

Then he saw clearly what was at the end of the journey and Ryoga began to scream.

* * *

With a gasp, Ryoga sat straight up in the sleeping bag, inadvertently throwing Shampoo to the side. He held his trembling hands in front of his face, clasping and unclasping his fists.

"Only a dream…only a dream…only a dream…" He shuddered convulsively as he rocked back and forth, gripping the floor of the tent so strongly that he unconsciously uprooted chunks of earth.

He hadn't been able to sleep soundly since that fateful day four days ago. His inner demons tormented him every waking moment. Then his inner fears tormented him while he slept.

Shaking his head, he cleared his mind of the frightening thoughts. They were only dreams, flights of fancy. Dreams couldn't hurt him.

Shampoo stumbled sleepily to her feet. "Aiyah…Airen such violent sleeper." She yawned and stretched, giving Ryoga an eyeful. The lost boy turned bright red, and twin trickles of blood flowed out of his nostrils. He hastily turned away.

"P..put some clothes on please" he said in a strangled voice, keeping his back to the puzzled Shampoo.

Shampoo was confused, but complied. 'It must be some sort of Japanese custom. Our village men aren't half as bashful.' "All done, Airen!"

Ryoga looked vastly relieved as he turned around, more at ease when she had on her customary outfit. "Wait…Airen?" His Chinese was a little rusty, but he was sure that he'd heard that word somewhere before. What was it…oh yes! It meant: "Beloved Husband" or something close to that.

Wait a minute…beloved husband?! "Wha? What do you mean husband? I'm not your husband!"

Shampoo shook her head. "You defeat Shampoo in battle, now Shampoo is wife and Airen is husband." She pulled out her pocket guide to the Rules and Customs of the Chinese Amazon Tribe.

Ryoga skimmed quickly through the passages, then threw the book to the ground. "Look, this is ridiculous, I'm not your husband!"

Shampoo frowned. Airen was resisting the marriage. Was she not pretty enough for him? Or was it something else? Fortunately, there were a few other options she could try.

"Wo da Airen! Wo ai ni!" She threw herself on top of the stunned Ryoga and initiated a searing liplock, ravaging his face with her moist lips. The sensation was too much for Ryoga and he passed out cold.

Shampoo got off of his inert body, wiping her lips. Well, it seemed like her airen had at least been enjoying the kiss, so it wasn't her physical attractiveness that was called in question. She'd have to figure out what the problem was when he regained consciousness.

In the mean time, she could fix breakfast for the two of them.

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**A.N.** Well, there it is. Hope that lived up to your expectations. I can already hear it, "Why isn't Ryoga an evil SOB in this chapter?" Well, how he acts is a little different when around women. He makes a fine distinction between men and women, and a major part of this story is going to be seeing him try to skirt these lines and keep the two attitudes separate. He's also going to have to deal with his own mind, as it is so depressed, he's already got the framework for the Shishihodokan. Hence the disturbing dream sequence. Well, see you next time.


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